This invention relates to an interior securing device for a lock of a movable body part such as a side door of a motor vehicle. The device has a securing knob arranged on a vehicle-interior side and guided in a linearly movable manner between a release position and a securing position. The securing knob is connected by transmitting devices with an adjusting element of the lock which can be moved between a releasing position and a locking position.
Such interior securing devices are commonly used in Mercedes-Benz passenger cars. The side doors of a four-door passenger car are provided, on their sides facing the vehicle interior, with vertically aligned, linearly movable securing knobs. The securing knobs are connected by transmitting devices, in the form of transmission linkages, with corresponding adjusting elements of the door locks. For front side doors, only short transmission paths must be bridged between the securing knobs and the door locks by transmission linkages since the securing knobs are mounted in direct proximities of the front door locks. For rear side doors, by contrast, the securing knobs are arranged at large distances from the door locks because the door locks, in rearward portions of the rear side doors, are arranged at levels of the vehicle body "C-columns" and the securing knobs in the forward area of the rear side doors are arranged at levels of the vehicle body "B-columns". The transmission linkage between a securing knob and a door lock of a rear side door has a vertical transmission rod and a horizontal transmission rod which are coupled with one another by a reversing lever. Depending on the type, the horizontal transmission rod can be divided into two parts for mounting reasons. The two rod parts are connected with one another by a guiding clamp. High mounting and adjusting expenditures, therefore, are typically required for construction and assembly of transmission linkages for rear side doors.
It is an object of the invention to provide an interior securing device of the initially mentioned type which requires reduced mounting and adjusting expenditures.
This object is achieved by providing a particularly connected Bowden cable as the transmitting device. The Bowden cable is rigidly connected with the securing knob and is linked to the adjusting element. The cable is surrounded along its length by a flexible guide sleeve. In the area of the securing knob, the guide sleeve is fixed to the vehicle body part. In the area of the adjusting element, the guide sleeve is fixed to the lock. The Bowden cable transmits both tension loads and pressure loads. By providing a Bowden cable, the number of individual components of the interior securing device is considerably reduced in comparison to known devices. As a result, mounting of the interior securing device is simplified. The rigid arrangement of the securing knob on the Bowden cable and the direct transmission of the continuous Bowden cable eliminate the previously required adjusting expenditures. The interior securing device, therefore, can be produced at much more reasonable cost. The flexible Bowden cable results in an interior securing device which is also at least largely insensitive to impact loads on the motor vehicle because the Bowden cable can yield. The reduced number of components for the interior securing device also clearly reduces its weight.
As German Patent Document DE 29 08 613 A1 shows, it is known to provide Bowden cables as transmitting elements between door handles and door locks of vehicle side doors. Each of these Bowden cables, however, is used exclusively for unlocking a door lock. An adjusting operation of the door lock is performed exclusively by a tension load on the Bowden cable. There is no connection between adjusting elements of the door lock locking mechanism and a securing knob.
According to one feature of the invention, the securing knob is molded in one piece to a front end of the Bowden cable. The Bowden cable is preferably made of wire. The securing knob consists of a plastic material and is injection-molded to the Bowden cable.
According to another feature of the invention, the securing knob is disposed in a guide housing which is fastened in a vehicle-body-fixed interior panel part. A stop for an end position of the Bowden cable is provided on the guide housing. A second stop for the opposite end position of the Bowden cable is provided on the lock in the area of the adjusting element. The stop for one end position of the Bowden cable is arranged in the area of the securing knob. The other stop, for the opposite end position of the Bowden cable, is provided in the area of the adjusting element. Consequently, adjusting operations for adjusting the interior securing device are no longer required. It is assumed that the lift of the securing knob inside the guide housing, the adjusting path of the adjusting element on the lock, and the displacement path of the Bowden cable are correspondingly adapted to one another with respect to relevant measurements. Naturally, the mechanism of the lock actuated by the adjusting element must be designed to have tolerances such that the maximal path of the Bowden cable causes locking or unlocking of the lock in every case.
According to a further feature of the invention, a compensating play within acceptable tolerances is provided to the adjusting element for the end position corresponding to the stop in the guide housing. This ensures that the end position of the Bowden cable is defined exclusively by the stop in the guide housing. The lock mechanism is adapted to the compensation play such that a corresponding actuation of the lock takes place in every case.
According to yet a further feature of the invention, the flexible guide sleeve can be fastened on the guide housing by a detent connection. In this case, a simple mounting is achieved without additional tools. Advantageously, the detent elements assigned to the sleeve are molded in one piece to the sleeve. This embodiment is particularly advantageous when the sleeve is constructed as a plastic component.
Finally, yet another feature of the invention has the guide housing provided with a bush-shaped design. The guide housing can be fastened in an opening of the interior panel part by a detent connection. This permits a simple and operationally reliable mounting of the guide housing.